It’s a year old, but I think the article is interesting. It’s a Rasmussen poll so that’s pretty legit. They are quoted as an authority on every other major issue.

The responses to this have been muted. I’m not sure if it’s because people are just shrugging and saying “yeah we knew that” or if there’s a general dismissal of the results as indicated at the end of the article (“Well blacks can’t be racist, so it doesn’t matter.”)

I think it DOES matter. It’s about damn time we got over race and stopped making it SEEM so important. It’s not.

Why? Why do we have to be racial? You don’t lose weight by eating more “just to remind ourselves of the issue of obesity.” That’s stupid.

This balkanization of America is hurtful to us all. Whether it’s “reminding” black people they are black, or “reminding” women that they have a vagina it’s counterproductive. We have less racism in this country than at any time in HISTORY.

Yet still we’re fed a dose of mostly imagined and exaggerated racism in order to keep the prejudice industry going. It’s to the point where if you aren’t racist, that is taken to mean you ARE.

A pair of black women were offended and said “She called us N*GGERS.” The flight attendant was appalled. It had to be EXPLAINED TO HER that “Eenie Meenie Miny Moe” was a supposedly racist rhyme used in the Deep South a couple hundred years ago.

How the hell was the flight attendant supposed to know that? She wasn’t born then and it hasn’t been used in that context (if it ever really was) in YEARS.

So, because she wasn’t racist she didn’t know the racist “code” and hence was called a racist. How messed up is that? You have to be a little bit racist to know not to be racist?

Again, that’s ludicrous. It’s also putting words and intentions into other peoples’ actions.

Perhaps this survey is onto something. It IS in fact racist to assume that everything is racist. You end up seeing “evidence” of racism even where it doesn’t exist.

Yes, there are racist people out there. However, you make it HARDER to see the few instances of REAL racism when you cry wolf all the time with false alarms.

In reality, pulling the fire alarm too many times means it takes longer to respond to a REAL fire. People die. In the world of civil discourse, sounding the alarm too often on racism too leads to burning the house down around us all.

“A house divided against itself, cannot stand.” – Abraham Lincoln

That’s especially true when it’s on fire and the people inside are fanning the flames.

if you have another interpretation, maybe you’d like to explain why 37% of black folk think they are the most racist? I’m open to other suggestions.

It’s not like it’s some innate property of people. (To think it was is itself racist) It’s simply a viewpoint. Views change. Anyone can decide at any point to NOT be racist, or homophobic, or sexist.

I’d rather we didn’t keep referring to ourselves as “African Americans” or “Hispanic Americans” or “European Americans.” We are just AMERICANS.

“There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism. When I refer to hyphenated Americans, I do not refer to naturalized Americans. Some of the very best Americans I have ever known were naturalized Americans, Americans born abroad. But a hyphenated American is not an American at all.”

“This is just as true of the man who puts “native” before the hyphen as of the man who puts German or Irish or English or French before the hyphen. Americanism is a matter of the spirit and of the soul. Our allegiance must be purely to the United States. We must unsparingly condemn any man who holds any other allegiance.”

Many younger “African Americans” are being criticized for “not fully embracing their heritage.” Isn’t that their choice? Why do folks insist on constantly identifying others by race? It’s all silly really. Unless it’s used as a descriptive (just as “tall” or “fat” or “male”, “bald”, etc), why does it matter what color someone is?

I don’t think this is a matter of “Black people hate White people” at all. It’s a matter of people being told that “Everyone else hates you so you MUST hate them!” It’s a defensive sort of mentality, not offensive. It doesn’t make it RIGHT, but it’s understandable.

So, stand up to the propaganda and lies. Embrace your fellow Americans and join the larger culture. Don’t self-segregate. That’s just as bad as segregation was. In fact it’s more harmful because instead of trying to get IN the door of opportunity, you’re constantly trying to get AWAY from hope.

And in case I haven’t offended enough people:

Dave Chapelle’s “The Black White Supremacist” Skit

(I couldn’t find a version with the dreaded “N Word” in it, so don’t click on it if you are squeamish)